Ape Escape 3
| genre = Platform | modes = Single-player | media = DVD }} is a platform video game published and developed by Sony for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was first released in Japan on July 14, 2005, and was later released in North America on January 17, 2006 and in Europe on May 5, 2006. It was re-released in Japan under the PlayStation 2 the Best label twice, on November 2, 2005 and July 5, 2007. It marked the return of Soichi Terada as the composer (He previously composed Ape Escape, but did not take part in Ape Escape 2, Koji Hayama composed Ape Escape 2). It is currently the final main Ape Escape game in the franchise, as all other games have been non canon spinoffs or party games. As of 2013, there is no announcements for Ape Escape 4. Plot It begins when Specter, the Pipo Monkey's Leader, finds a Monkey Helmet, and hires the human scientist Dr. Tomuki (Dr. Tomoki in the U.S. version) to aid him in his evil plans. They establish TV stations protected by the Freaky Monkey Five where they plan to broadcast TV shows worldwide. The television shows that are broadcast on every television put every human except the twins, Satoru and Sayaka (Kei and Yumi), their aunt Aki, and Natsumi (Natalie) into a mindless trance. When Natsumi informs Satoru and Sayaka that Kakeru (Spike), Hikaru (Jimmy) and the Professor were all infected by the television show, Satoru and Sayaka go out to catch the monkeys and thwart Specter and Tomuki. Their mission was to go to every movie set and capture all the monkeys there and destroy the satellite there. Satoru and Sayaka easily capture White Monkey, Blue Monkey, and Yellow Monkey. When they reach the TV Station where Pink Monkey is, Satoru and Sayaka's attempts to capture her fail and she escapes. They manage to capture Red Monkey afterwards. When they reach Tomuki City, Tomuki challenges them to a battle in his giant Tomo-King robot. Tomuki, after being defeated by Satoru and Sayaka, and being humiliated by Specter, lets them take his rocket to space to defeat his former partner. Once they reach Specter's outer space base of operations: Space Station SARU-3, they capture all the monkeys and deactivate the movie sets on their way to Specter. When they reach Specter, he tells them his plan about how he will use his space station to cut the earth in half and keep half of it for the monkeys (leaving the other half, originally meant for Tomuki, to the humans). Afterwards he gets in his new Gorillac Mech and tries to activate his plan. He is defeated and the two escape from the satellite, leaving Tomuki to give his life to deactivate the Twin Heavens. He survives. After Specter is defeated, Pink Monkey releases him and the rest of the Freaky Monkey Five, leaving them to be caught again in extremely similar missions. To complete the game one hundred percent, all the four hundred and forty-two monkeys have to be caught, all the time trials have to be completed with a gold time, and all the items, CDs, Video Tapes (except 28), Car Skins, Genie Dance tracks, books, etc. have to be bought. The game holds a total of four hundred and thirty-four monkeys if the secret code monkeys are not caught. Gameplay Playing as either Satoru or Sayaka, gameplay follows that of the previous games in which the player must catch several monkeys by using various gadgets controlled with right analogue stick. While there are less gadgets in this game than previous entries, a new feature in this game is the ability to morph into different outfits through a device built by Aki. Some monkeys may also try to steal the player's Stun Club or Time Net and use it against them, even force then out of the level by catching them with their own net. Mesal Gear Solid A minigame featured in the game is ''Mesal Gear Solid: Snake Escape, a spoof of Metal Gear Solid (the name is a pun on both the Japanese pronunciation of "metal" (metaru) and the Japanese word for monkey, saru.) In this game, players control Pipo Snake, a monkey loaded with Solid Snake's battle data, sent on a mission to rescue Snake and destroy a monkey-like Metal Gear. Gameplay is similar to Metal Gear Solid in which players have to use stealth and weapons to sneak around undetected and rescue prisoners. Players are equipped with a Banana Pistol for stunning enemies and Pineapple Grenades for breaking open flimsy walls. Similarly, the original PlayStation 2 editions of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater include a Snake vs. Monkey mode in which Snake has to capture monkeys. Unlockable Monkeys There are some special monkeys that can only be unlocked through passwords. Spork and Shimmy, are monkeys that look like Kakeru and Hikaru. Ape Ratchet and other apes (including the Pipotron Trio) are also unlocked through passwords. Sequel Announced in 2010, 2 games were said to be in development for Playstation 3 by Japan Studio. Ape Escape Move, and Ape Escape 4. Ape Escape move saw release late 2010, however as of 2013 Ape Escape 4 has still not been announced. Source Reception The game received generally positive reviews upon release. *X-Play gave it a 3/5. *Game Informer rated it 8.5/10 *The highest score of 90/100 stated "This is the best and most spirited of the Ape Escapes, which is faint praise if you're only familiar with the recent half-assed PSP version. 2006, p.91 Computer Games Magazine" *The lowest score of 60/100 stated "It's not badly done - a good, clean, simple, average game." EuroGamer References External links * Website (North America) Category:2005 video games Category:3D platform games Category:Ape Escape games Category:PlayStation 2 games Category:PlayStation 2-only games Category:Video game sequels